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CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED TRAINERS
Keeping up with the Joneses
Marty Jones took over the stables of his father, Gary, and is making his own mark
By Steve Schuelein
W
HEN your father and grandfather are two of the leading trainers in California history and you are born in Arcadia Methodist Hospital, a few furlongs from Santa Anita Park, your career choice seems obvious. Marty Jones had large shoes to fill as the
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son of retired Gary Jones and the grandson of the late Farrell Jones, but at 39, he is making his own mark in the sport. During a recent morning in Barn 52 South at Hollywood Park, Jones was busy with a stable that has grown to 40 and remains linked to a proud heritage. Stall webbings were red and blue with the GFJ initials used by Gary and a few old tack trunks with the initials FWJ were once used by Farrell. “One of my grooms, Vicente Castaneda, worked for my grandfather,” said Marty. “Quite a few members of my staff have been with our family a long time. Vicente’s son, Martel, rubbed Best Pal for my father and is my assistant.” Yet Marty is his own man, adjusting to ever-changing times and circumstances. “I’ve had to adapt to synthetic tracks,” said Marty, a non-issue for his father. “He had a unique style of training; he breezed his horses every five days. I don’t work them as
often. I don’t train as aggressively on synthetic. “I’ve got my own different style,” continued Marty. “I didn’t see my grandfather train but I went to his lay-up center after he retired. I’m sure I apply many of the things I learned from my father, just as he learned from his father, so in a roundabout way it goes back to my grandfather.” Marty, a rangy 6 foot 2 inches, resembles professional football st ar Peyton Manning in his clean-cut appearance and demeanor, reserved but fully prepared. And like the allstar quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, Jones’s colts also run for him. “I get on the muscle, too: I just don’t show it like he did,” said mellow Marty in contrast to his more excitable father. Marty is preparing for the Del Mar meet from July 20 through September 7 and hoping to add to Jones family milestones. Farrell, who died in 2007 at age 84, still holds the track record of 11 training titles, achieved between 1960 and 1974. Gary, who settled in Del Mar following his retirement in 1996, was also a major factor at the coastal track for two decades and is best remembered for sending out Best Pal to victory in the inaugural Pacific Classic in 1991. Marty, a young assistant to his father at that time, considers that triumph his biggest thrill in racing. “It was the most exciting win I’ve ever been involved with,” said Marty of the Golden Eagle Farm homebred winning for owners John and Betty Mabee of San Diego in front of a partisan crowd. “It was amazing,” recalled Marty. “It was an electric environment, Derby-like. It was still in front of the old grandstand. Best Pal was a three-year-old and beat older horses.” Five years later, Marty had a choice to make: continue toward the business degree he was pursuing at Long Beach State while he was working as an assistant or take over a portion of the stable for his retiring father. Marty probably knew the answer many years earlier. “I spent my lunch break at Arcadia High School going to Santa Anita,” said Marty of an early clue. Marty followed his blood. His career began auspiciously when one month after saddling his first winner, he sent out Auriette to capture the Grade 1 Gamely Handicap at Hollywood Park in 1996. Auriette, an Irish-bred filly with whom Gary had won the Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita in her previous start, made more history for the Joneses at Del Mar in 1997. Marty saddled Auriette to win the Osunitas Handicap, a race his father won